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Who am I? Looking around at the greenery mixed marble surrounding me, attendants staring at me in shock.
Where am I? The glass ceiling above was the only sort of light, yet it was enough to showcase the marble pillars and slab in the middle of the room.
Wasn’t… Wasn’t I dead? Lifting my hands in confusion, touching this new face. Flesh. Pale, warm flesh. The attendants scrambled around me, asking if I was alright. Tears streaming down their faces. With an emotion that I could not immediately remember the name of.
What am I doing here? I could hardly remember the events that had transpired before I awoke in this consciousness as I was carefully lifted to stand. Moving a leg forward, I felt the blood course through veins as muscles attempted to return to being of functional use. One of the multiple servants ran over, carrying silk fabric in their arms. The group surrounding me and proceeded to drape them over the slim body before them.
What are these for? Pushing forward, I attempted to keep up. Wobbling past the marble slab on top of which lay the body of a woman. A single long piece of black fabric embracing her as if unwilling to be parted from the still form. The peacefully sleeping face imprinted with beauty that could have only been brought to where I now stand by the higher being that also chose to allow my presence to this realm.
What has happened? Why is that woman laid there as if the chaos around her cannot awaken her? I had little time to ponder such questions as I was placed onto a polished marble circle. The servants chanting words that sounded oddly familiar to my ears. The floor began to glow. With little time to ask for knowledge, I felt the wind blow through the blonde hair that seemed to engulf my very being. Closing my eyes, the light pulled me along with it only to drop me off in a strange contraption. The ones inside seeming just as confused as the attendants. They asked questions, with names being spoken to me.
S-Scheherazade… is that who I am? The name sounded strangely close, yet it did not quite fit inside this puzzle. I could not be sure, yet they seem to understand what needed to be done as the device began to move. Turning my head, only to see an unending path paved in blue before me. Yet above was paved in scattered white blobs amid the triads of colors painting their way through the sky with elegant strokes. In the distance, ruined mountains told the story of battles. Scattered stones of a city laid to waste. Others simply looked like insects, scuttling about in the wreckage. The closer the craft approached, the more details that could be gained.
Who are these people? Shapes and colors made themselves distinguishable with each inch closer. Pink. Blue. Gold. Black. Silver. So many colors. So many individuals. I heard one of the crew shout towards the people. Panicked and calling out to someone holding the rank of captain. As we touched down, I turned seeing multiple others in this location. Stepping out of the previously floating basket, my legs slowly carried me forward to golden clad warriors ahead of me. Another came running over the hills, a little girl with her blushing, smiling face gazing directly towards me. Two others followed behind her, pausing with the same shock as all the others who had witnessed me.
“Welcome home!” That voice. It entered my ears with joyous rings. Yes… this is where I am supposed to be, am I not?
“Marga…?” Exactly, that was her. The small ginger girl whose face lit up with a brightness rivaling only that of the setting sun.
“Sphintus…?” The caramel skinned teenager to her left. My heart skipped a beat as I felt emerald eyes scan my body with a dam of tears being held back ready to burst.
“Aladdin…?” That’s who they are.
“What on earth…” I looked at the bodies running towards me, tears springing forth and flooding my head with the memories we all shared. The duel. The cats walking down the streets. Saving the young girl who now called me home. The taste of home cooked food. The smell of flowers being woven together to make a crown. The warmth from cuddle pile. Soft kisses by my love. All of them. Linked to these people. The girl was the first to reach me, jumping into my arms shouting my name.
“Titus!”